Research Projects

The use of plant polysaccharides in food, nutraceuticals, and therapeutically active substances is widespread. However, the application of polysaccharides as pharmaceutical excipients is still being thoroughly investigated. They are biodegradable, or at least biocompatible and thus making them non-toxic and safe for therapeutic applications. (1) Because of their biocompatibility, muco-adhesion, and chemical adaptability, polysaccharides are gaining popularity as they enable a variety of carriers with desirable physico-chemical properties for targeted delivery, including that to the human brain (2).In this proposal, we plan to evaluate the pharmaceutical potential of the Opuntia ficus indica polysaccharide and exploit it as a non-toxic biodegradable pharmaceutical excipient for the brain delivery of apigenin through nanocarriers. A research group of our institute has recently demonstrated the role of apigenin (flavonoid) in multiple sclerosis (MS) by inhibiting the c-JNK/p38MAPK signaling pathway (3). A nanocarrier approach is envisaged to achieve brain delivery of the therapeutically compromised Apigenin molecule by leveraging the Opuntia ficus indica polysaccharide. The polysaccharide will be thoroughly evaluated for its molecular weight, quantification of monosaccharides (by HPLC) and toxicity evaluation on brain microvascular endothelial cell line (hCMEC/D3) and glioblastoma cell line (T98G). Polysaccharide-based nanocarriers will be prepared and conjugated with L-carnitine as a biomarker to enhance brain uptake of Apigenin. In-vitro cellular uptake of these targeted nanocarriers will be evaluated in hCMEC/D3 and T98G cell lines. The signaling cascade (OCTN2 and Myelin Basic Protein) are involved in MS by the regulation of Apigenin will be evaluated through western blot assays. Safety assessment of nanocarriers by chronic toxicity study (as per OECD guidelines) will be evaluated to underline any possible side effects.